New Orleans still embraces Marcus Williams after ‘Minneapolis Miracle’ – The AthleticWith the Saints heading back to Minnesota this week Womens Patrick Robinson Jersey , here’s how the team, its fan base and Williams himself is dealing with the memory.Saints Film Room: How to crash the party of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen – The AthleticNew Orleans heads back to Minnesota, a year wiser and seeking a different outcome.Expert Picks: Forecasting the Vikings-Saints RematchMinnesota Vikings Latest NewsLunchbreak: Vikings, Saints Listed Among NFL’s Best Week 8 MatchupsMinnesota Vikings Latest NewsSI.com: Eli Apple trade opens New Orlelans Saints’ defensive playbookSI.com's Andy Benoit gets the vision behind the New Orleans Saints trading for New York Giants cornerback Eli Apple.Saints may not be done making moves | wwltv.comThe draft capital they parted with to bring Apple on board — a fourth-round pick next year and a final-round selection the following year — really isn't that valuable.Saints players react to Eli Apple trade.The Saints have factors in their favor vs. the Vikings | The Sun HeraldThe New Orleans Saints travel to play the Minnesota Vikings as slight underdogs, but the numbers show the Saints have a good shot.Miracle redux: Saints downplay revenge, Vikes ready for bestThe Minnesota Vikings screamed at Stefon Diggs to step out of bounds once he secured the leaping catch at the sideline , seeking to stop the clock for a long field goal try just after the New Orleans Saints had taken a late lead in their NFC divisional-round playoff game last season .Diggs spun aroundVikings' defense preparing for Saints, Brees 'indiscriminate' attack - NFL Nation- ESPNThe Vikings are banged up in the secondary and probably will start a rookie CB against the daunting prospect of Drew Brees.Did you see that? Saints-Vikings kicking games to feature first-ever 'tracer' this week | Saints | theadvocate.comThere will be a new twist for television viewers watching the Saints play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.Tre'Quan Smith's promise — literally — and these other traits have Saints WR on upswing | Saints | theadvocate.comVonn Bell asks Tre’Quan Smith the same question every week.Joe Flacco had weirdest post-game talk with Saints coach Sean PaytonWhatever you thought happened after the final whistle of a game, you definitely didn't expect mattress shopping stories, did you?NFL News:Week 8 NFL score predictions - Guide to best games, fantasy outlook, more - 2018Winners and projections for every matchup, plus fantasy nuggets to get you through the weekend. Catch up on Week 8 here.How the Players Coalition and NFL are making progress together - NFL.comTwo-time Pro Bowler Takeo Spikes explains how the Players Coalition and NFL are working together to solve substantive issues and improve communities.NFL fires official Cruz for performance-based reasons - NFL.comNFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, the league fired official Hugo Cruz. Cruz, who was a down judge, missed a blatant false start call in Chargers-Browns during Week 6.DeAndre Hopkins on non-catch: I'm going to count it - NFL.comTexans WR DeAndre Hopkins had an unbelievable catch in Thursday night's win over the Dolphins. Problem is, it wasn't ruled an official catch. Hopkins was flagged for pass interference.Chiefs' potent offense leaving opponents 'drained' - NFL.comWe knew the Kansas City Chiefs' offense was good. But are the Chiefs so dominant that they can affect games they're not even playing in?Eric Reid grievance against Bengals denied by arbitrator - NFL.comThe NFLPA's grievance filed on behalf of Eric Reid regarding his free-agent visit to the Cincinnati Bengals has been denied by an arbitrator.Colts DROY candidate Darius Leonard fueled by slights - NFL.comMany questioned the Colts when they selected Darius Leonard out of South Carolina State in the second round of the 2018 draft. Six months later, he might be the best defensive rookie in the NFL.NFL trade rumors: Dolphins moving DeVante Parker? Raiders dealing Karl Joseph? Latest on Steelers' Le'Veon Bell | NJ.comThe NFL trade deadline is coming up on Oct. 30, and contenders around the NFL will likely be actively seeking help on the open market. Some teams expected to be active include the Philadelphia Eagles Youth Mark Ingram II Jersey , New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots, On the flip side, the Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos are among the teams many expect to sell of players for future draft assets. Here's a look at the latest rumors leading up to the trade deadline, including about Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson and Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell. Jon Gruden, Howie Roseman and Bill Belichick are executives expected to take center stage during the next few days across the NFL.What is the NFL Saying About Derwin James?Memorable comments from around the league about Derwin James.Injury roundup: Jets place RB Bilal Powell on IR - NFL.comThe injury-ravaged New York Jets offense took another hit on Wednesday. The team placed running back Bilal Powell on injured reserve after he suffered a neck injury Sunday.LSU/CFB News:College football picks Week 9: Expert predictions for Saturday | SI.comThere are only three games between Top 25 teams in Week 9, but they are doozies.Skeptics, LSU may finally give Alabama betting value | AL.comAlabama opened -14 against LSU at BetOnline. Even a half-point line move to under two touchdowns could give Bama bettors great value.LSU deserves poll ranking, but it’s time for bettors to fade Tigers | nola.comTigers have pulled three upsets, all against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 10 at the time.LSU vs. Alabama is primetime for Baton Rouge law enforcement | SI.comSI spent an entire Saturday following law enforcement officers as they worked an LSU home game—and braced for The Big One against Alabama.LSU's Garrett Brumfield might be ready to play vs. Alabama after all, coach Ed Orgeron says | LSU | theadvocate.comIt turns out LSU might get one of its best offensive lineman back for the Alabama showdown after all.Replacing Devin White: How LSU can fill role -- for a half -- against vaunted Alabama | LSU | theadvocate.comHow will LSU replace Devin White in the first half against Alabama?Social Media:What to look for in the New Orleans Saints preseason finale against the Rams The New Orleans Saints wrap up the 2018 preseason with a home battle against the Los Angeles Rams this evening. While we got to see the majority of the Saints starters and top units for much of the first half during last week's impressive 36-7 victory over the L.A. Chargers, expect a much different show during this preseason finale. New Orleans begins their regular season in just ten days from tonight, with a home showdown against division rival Tampa Bay, while the Rams play their opener on Monday night against the Oakland Raiders. Expect both squads to have a very simplistic approach to their game plan, and if any of the starters play at all, it won't likely be for more than a series or two. With that being said, each team still has some important roster decisions to make before the league's cut-down period over the following Labor Day weekend. Thankfully, the Saints backup quarterback question seems to have been answered, for this year anyway Womens DeMario Davis Jersey , when the team traded with the New York Jets for Teddy Bridgewater on Wednesday afternoon. But there are still plenty of things to be watching closely when these two NFC contenders face off tonight. Here are a few things to be watching for from the New Orleans perspective during the game. Wide Receiver Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsThere were some fans who were concerned, or perhaps confused, that wideouts Tre'quan Smith and Cameron Meredith were still in the lineup so late in the game against the Chargers. Don't be. Sean Payton and the coaching staff clearly wanted to give backup quarterback Taysom Hill some of the top offensive unit to work with through the second half. They also clearly wanted to see something specific from second year wide receiver Austin Carr, who started the game with Drew Brees and the number one unit. Carr caught 3 passes for 38 yards, and has had a solid training camp. He is a shifty prototypical slot receiver with good hands, and looks to be making a late push for a roster spot. The Saints normally keep five wideouts on the active roster, and return man Brandon Tate looks to have the edge for the fifth spot behind superstar Michael Thomas, impressive rookie Smith, and veterans Meredith and Ted Ginn Jr. Carr looks to have moved ahead of undrafted rookie Keith Kirkwood and returning vet Tommylee Lewis on the preseason depth chart. An impressive performance in this final game could convince coaches to keep a sixth receiver, or perhaps even make a surprising decision to move on from a veteran like Ginn, who has struggled throughout preseason. Running Back Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsThe running game wasn't as impressive against the Chargers as it had been in the first two preseason games, with the running backs averaging less than 3 yards per carry. Jonathan Williams had a particularly rough time, finishing with a negative three yards on his 3 carries. He does still look to have the edge for the third running back spot behind Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, but a battle still remains to round out the position. Rookie sixth round pick Boston Scott continues to show good burst around the edge, and adds an extra dimension with his kick return abilities. Second year back Trey Edmunds has seen snaps at both fullback and running back, but has yet to have a stand out performance. Veteran Shane Vereen is a solid receiving threat out of the backfield, but struggles to pick up yardage between the tackles. These 4 backs will likely split the bulk of the snaps against Los Angeles, and their roster spots may be contingent on a productive performance. OFFENSIVE LINE Jake Roth-USA TODAY SportsWith the exception of rookie 7th round pick Will Clapp, who has improved each week http://www.thesaintsfootballauthentic.com/max-unger-jersey-authentic , the Saints reserve line has been inconsistent. Veteran guard/tackle Jermon Bushrod looks in jeopardy of being a roster cut, and Josh LeRibeus has not shown the improvement expected after playing some solid snaps last season. Michael Ola has gotten quite a bit of playing time at tackle this preseason, but may have been passed on the depth chart by rookie 4th round pick Rick Leonard. The coaches are still high on Cameron Tom, who along with Clapp is capable of playing any of the interior line positions. New Orleans is likely going to keep three of these linemen to begin the season, and expect all to receive extensive playing time against the Rams, hopefully showing that the team can have confidence in it's line depth. Marcus Davenport Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsThe 14th overall pick in the draft finally saw the field last week against the Chargers, and flashed the ability that caused the team to trade up to get him. Davenport would play 15 defensive snaps, and showed good disruption from the edge, finishing with a few quarterback pressures, a half sack, and an impressive tackle for loss on a Charger end around that showcased his athleticism. After missing much of training camp and the first two games of the preseason, we may see Davenport get a good bit of snaps during this contest to get him up to game speed. Alex Okafor and Trey Hendrickson are expected to get the majority of the snaps at defensive end opposite Cam Jordan in the Saints base defense at the start of the regular season, but Davenport could be a disruptive rotational player who should earn more snaps as the season progresses. UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesTaylor Stallworth has played impressive football throughout the preseason, and could be very much in the mix for a job at defensive tackle. New Orleans already has possible break-out stars inside with Sheldon Rankins and David Onyemata, along with reliable run defender Tyeler Davison and Devaroe Lawrence, who looks like he's played his way onto the team with an outstanding preseason. Will Stallworth be able to overtake Davison or Lawrence for a roster spot? Wide receiver Keith Kirkwood started out the preseason strong, but has leveled off in recent weeks, looking like he has been passed up by Carr, as mentioned previously. Rookie cornerback Linden Stephens faces a similar challenge at an equally crowded position. Stephens has played solid on special teams http://www.thesaintsfootballauthentic.com/wil-lutz-jersey-authentic , and has seen some defensive reps late in all three exhibition games. The cornerback position already has a star like Marshon Lattimore, along with Ken Crawley and Patrick Robinson locked into spots. Arthur Maulet and Natrell Jamerson likely have played their way onto the team, leaving one, perhaps two spots up for grabs among some talented players. Stephens will probably need a monumental performance to warrant consideration for the active roster, and must still overtake fellow rookie Kamrin Moore, the "other" Marcus Williams, who returned an interception for a touchdown last week, or a veteran like PJ. Williams, who has been on almost everyone's roster bubble seemingly all summer. VETERANS FIGHTING FOR A JOB Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty ImagesCornerback P.J. Williams is one of a handful of Saints veterans who are in a fierce battle to keep their roster spots. Edge rusher Hau'oli Kikaha, defensive end George Johnson, and linebacker Nate Stupar may be on the outside looking in on perhaps the deepest defense we've seen in the Sean Payton era. Couldplayers like Ginn, P.J., linebackers Craig Robertson and A.J. Klein, or Davison along the defensive line be potential trade candidates because of higher salary cap numbers or the performance of some of the young newcomers? The deadline for all NFL teams to reduce their rosters from 90 to 53 players is at 4 p.m. eastern time on Saturday. New Orleans coaches face some tough decisions throughout one of the most talented rosters in the league, and there will be some talented players who may not make this squad. Who can make one final push for a spot when the Saints take on the Rams this evening?
